This idea
so closely parallels “The
Shining” with the vast emptiness of a resort slowly drawing the
major character to madness and insanity with visions of haunting ghouls and
walking dead. The black and white images of both filled ballrooms, The Overlook
Hotel in Colorado and Saltair in Utah, are extremely similar. The theme of
isolation and the E.M. Forster-like fusing of location and narrative are
undeniably repeated with multiple similarities. This film deserves every ounce
of it’s reputation for it’s incredible depth of story.

***

Candace Hilligoss plays Mary Henry, a beautiful
young church organist who is involved in a near fatal car accident in Lawrence,
Kansas while joyriding with two girlfriends as their automobile veers off a
bridge. She appears unscathed from the muddy Mississippi-like water but her
friends are not as fortunate. We hear her practice the organ and determine that
she is quickly off for a new job at a church in Utah despite having little
feeling toward religion as inspiration for her music.” You need to play with
some soul” her friend suggests, but to her; “a church is just a place of
business”.

Apparitions appear to her as she begins to settle into her new home near the
Great Salt Lake. She visibly becomes cold and distant to those around her as
further expressions of dementia slowly set in. A doctor she runs into tries to
persuade her this may be after shock from her recent near death experience.
Advances from the leering neighbor John ( played by Sidney Berger ) in the
rooming house where she is staying are rebuffed coldly as she continues to
isolate herself from those around her. One night as she practices the organ at
her new church, she seemingly becomes possessed and her hands dance across the
keys while the haunting, if incongruous, music fills the empty cathedral. As
each scene progresses Candace is being drawn to nearby Saltair, an abandoned
resort on the shores of The Great Salt Lake.

It is this that Herk Harvey was inspired to hatch the idea for “Carnival of
Souls” and that he requested writer John Clifford to base the story upon. Built
by The Mormon Church in the 1890’s Saltair became desolate and closed in 1959
when the Salt Lake water level receded to its lowest point. The towering,
cavernous pavilion was then stilted on a bed of mud, flies and garbage. The
mosques and onion shaped domes drew over 10,000 visitors on its opening day in
1893, which had risen to 500,000/year by the early 1920’s. The history of this
monument closely parallels the spiral of madness that Mary has fallen into.

The Mormon Church initially created Saltair to help project a less isolated view
of itself to mainstream America, yet it also wanted an entertainment umbrella
where its congregation could feel sheltered. Mary is inescapably drawn to
Saltair as she slowly cuts herself off from any religious of social bindings in
her life. In two scenes she actually becomes virtually invisible and mute to the
people around her as she shops and then frantically wanders down the street. The
closed monument is, as she is, isolated… both at their geographic location
stemming from religious ties.

NOTE:
The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The
Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:

Criterion (Theatrical)

Bitrate:

Criterion (Directors cut)

Bitrate:

Off Color
Films (Directors cut)

Audio

Both
versions - English
(Dolby Digital 2.0)

Color version - English (Dolby Digital 5.1),
English DTS

Black and white version has origin al English
(Dolby Digital 2.0)

Subtitles

English,
and
none

None

Features

Release Information:
Studio: Criterion / Home Vision

Aspect Ratio:Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• Commentary by screenwriter John Clifford and late director Herk Harvey
(on Disc Two, extended director's cut)
• Contains both the original theatrical version (78 min.) and the extended
director's cut (83 min.) on two separate discs
• Disc One: Luminous new digital transfer of the original theatrical
version of the film; The Movie That Wouldn't Die! The Story of Carnival of
Souls, a documentary on the 1989 reunion of the cast and crew; More than
45 minutes of rare outtakes accompanied by Gene Moore's organ score;
Theatrical trailer; An illustrated history of the Saltair resort in Salt
Lake City; The Carnival Tour, a video update on the film's locations
• Disc Two: The extended director's cut of the film; One hour of excerpts
from films made by the Centron Corporation, an industrial film company
based in Lawrence, Kansas that employed Harvey and Clifford for over 30
years; An essay on the history of Centron from Mental Hygiene, Ken Smith's
new book on industrial and educational filmmaking; Tom Weaver's printed
interviews with Harvey, Clifford and star Candace Hilligoss, illustrated
with vintage photos and memorabilia

DVD
Release Date: May 16th, 2000Double (thick) Keep Case

Chapters 15

Release Information:Studio: Off Color Films

Aspect Ratio:Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Edition Details:

• Both color and black and white
director's cuts

• Commentary by Mike Nelson
• Trailers
• More about Carnival of Souls

DVD Release Date: Not available in stores till 2005 - only through
Off Color Films website
Keep Case
Chapters: 16

Comments:

I really have a problem
with this film... and I say that in a positive way. I find it so
overwhelmingly compelling - innocent, historical, genuinely creepy and
it has such repeat watching value. Truly some of my favorite pieces of
pure cinema are in this film.

It shouldn't surprise anyone
that the Criterion theatrical print image is the best.
But I am surprised at how superior it is compared to the Director's
version on Disc 2 of the same edition. We are losing about 8 minutes in
the stellar Theatrical print on the first Criterion DVD... and it makes
a difference. What a shame the Directors cut was not of the same image
calibre.

Okay, on colorization... we do not condone or recommend films that have
been manipulated by colorization. Just as we do not recommend censored
films, non-original audio or aspect ratio manipulated films.
Colorization can look silly at times, attempting to give texture where
there often is none. The Off Color DVD is cropped in a variety of spots
unevenly but mostly on the bottom edge. Now after berating the
non-purists, I am still going to say some positive things about this Off
Color Films DVD release. Knowing their product was not for purists, the
Off Color people also bumped the audio to a choice of 5.1 or DTS.
The new sound is moderately engaging at times (NOTE: their black and
white version still has the original audio). Firstly it is not as as
sharp as the Criterion theatrical, but not far off the same distributors
directors edition. You will also find this is heads and tails above all
those public domain issues that are out (ex. Good Times Home Video,
Gotham
Distribution,
Diamond
Entertainment etc.
etc.) The Criterion and Off Color DVDs are from separate prints as you
can see damage marks on both that do not match up. With colorization you
lose some of the great shadow detail, but if you zip down to the 4th
large capture you can see that even the color edition still holds some
of that wonderful dark mystique.

NOTE: Off Color does include the original Director's cut with
original audio. Its quality is slightly darker, but on a negligible par with
Criterion's DC version. It actually tend to show more good film grain.

What really held me
spellbound about the new color version is that the viewing experience
was like an entirely new one. Now this is a film I have seen at least 10
times so I know what to expect. I love the representation of Saltair and
I love its history... I am also kind of sweet on Candace Hilligoss (nice
to see her with shiny yellow hair!). Just about anything to do with this
film I am keen on, so for fans of the film who probably already own the
Criterion, yes, I do recommend this colorized edition. If only, as in my
case, to feed the obvious addiction I have to Carnival of Souls. No it
is not the definitive edition, Off Color probably knew that before they
started their process - this is meant as an alternative, or really an
adjunct. Nothing will ever top the Criterion DVD in this case, but I am
so glad that I also own this new edition. I was intrigued and now feel
strangely sated. The Criterion extras can really help make this film for
so many people - so you must own it if you don't.

NOTE:
I am no fan of these
Mystery Science Theater 3000 smart-alecs so the Mike Nelson commentary
on the Off Color edition (both color and black and white versions off
it) did nothing for me. You or others may get a chuckle out of it.